CALAUAN, Laguna (PIA) – Senator Imee Marcos has committed continuous assistance programs for the province of Laguna when she visited the towns of Calauan and Bay on Wednesday, August 2.

Marcos led the distribution of financial assistance worth P3,000 for some 2,000 residents of Calauan and Bay through the Assistance for Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS) program of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).

She was joined by Vice Governor Karen Agapay, Calauan Mayor Roseller Caratihan, Bay Mayor Jose Padrid, and the Sangguniang Bayan members of both towns.

Angelie Calumpang, one of the recipients of the AICS program in Calauan, said that the assistance she received was a huge help for her family since her husband’s is not enough to sustain their basic needs. 

“Sobrang laki [tulong] ng natanggap ko ngayon [financial assistance] kasi makakatulong siya sa expenses at pandagdag sa allowance, sa pagkain at pambili ng basic needs at may pandagdag sa gastusin sa aming bahay lalo na’t hindi naman permanente yung trabaho ng asawa ko kaya malaking tulong ito,” she said. 

Calumpang also thanked Marcos and the Calauan LGU for choosing her as one of the recipients of AICS amongst thousands of Calaueños. 

“Maraming maraming salamat kay senator kasi nakabisita siya dito sa amin, pati kay Mayor [Caratihan], sobrang thankful kasi one thousand lang yung [beneficiaries] at napasama ako sa kanila, malaking bagay ito sa aming pamilya para sa pang bili ng araw-araw na pagkain,” she added. 

Marcos said that the AICS is an alternative program to those people who are not part of Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) which aims to assist senior citizens, indigent residents, Persons with Disability (PWD), solo parents and students with financial difficulties, and to help Filipinos amidst the rising prices of basic commodities.

“Itong AICS ay pansamantala at panakip-butas sa mga hindi nabibigyan ng sapat na tulong ng ating pamahalaan. Hindi naman kasi sila covered ng 4Ps.. hindi sila sakop ‘non,  yung mga walang anak kagaya ng mga seniors [citizen], mga PWD, hanggang ngayon wala pa tayong naisasabatas at ganun din ang solo parents at kung minsan ay yung mga estudyante rin na naghihirap, ayaw naman natin na maudlot ang kanilang pag-aaral kaya’t sakop lahat ’yan ng AICS,” Marcos added.

Aside from her support to the AICS program, the senator attended a dialogue with members of LGBTQIA+ (lesbian, gay, bi-sexual, transgender, queer, intersex and asexual) groups in Laguna to assess their situation and how her office can help them.

Marcos also led the distribution of nutribun and toys to children in the two towns as part of her “Nutribus” project.

She pledged assistance to public hospitals for the LGBTQIA+ and for the passage of a universal anti-discrimination act as a way to integrate the causes of the sector to other vulnerable groups such as PWDs, senior citizens, among others. (AM,CH/PIA-4A)